Cam Whitmore Trade Inquiries Reportedly Made By 'Handful' of NBA Teams amid Struggles

The Houston Rockets are reportedly drawing trade interest for a player struggling to solidify himself as a part of the team's core.

The Athletic's Kelly Iko reported that "a handful of teams have inquired about the availability" of Rockets wing Cam Whitmore.

"Since being drafted with the No. 20 pick in 2023, Whitmore has struggled to entrench himself in [head coach Ime Udoka’s] tight rotation and at times has expressed his displeasure at the end of the bench, but there is still optimism about his potential and rotation spot — having shown strong periods of play over the last two seasons," Iko explained.

Whitmore has shown flashes of potential across his two seasons in the NBA, but he has yet to carve out a consistent role for himself in Houston. He saw his minutes drop from 18.7 per game as a rookie to 16.2 this past season, and his scoring average dropped from 12.3 points to 9.4 points. He had a season-high 34 points in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in April.

Iko noted that there's a chance Whitmore isn't moved at all this offseason, writing, "At this stage, neither Whitmore nor his representation has requested a trade and both sides are hopeful of finding a solution."

The Rockets have a bright future with a talented crop of young players, so it would be wise for them to find a way to utilize Whitmore going forward.